


Secret Hearts

by Snugglebuttkitten



Category: Original Work, Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Cats, F/M, House Cats, Magic, Warrior Cat Elements, stray cats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 03:24:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17696741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: Bea has heard of the Clowder her whole life. A group of House Cats and Street Cats who gather in the forest once every moon cycle to worship Goddess Panthera, mother of all cats. Her mother always told her to stay away from them; that they were dangerous and the reason her father now walked with Panthera. For three years, Bea took that advice to heart and has avoided anything to do with the Clowder. That changes when her young friend Twitch gets sucked in by the Clowder and she decides to accompany him and ensure he gets home alive. There, Bea meets the youngest of the Clowder's three leaders, and as she begins to fall for him, she is sucked into a world of secrets, magic, and danger beyond compare.





	1. Character List and Important Information

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lil_fangirl27](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_fangirl27/gifts).



> FIRST CHAPTER SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS THE WORLD DEVELOPS MORE. THIS IS STILL A RUDIMENTARY IDEA THAT I AM IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING
> 
> This is an idea I had many, many years ago (around 5 years), that I never ended up writing and I decided to revisit the idea. This is inspired by books like Warriors and Varjack Paw but is entirely it's own book altogether that takes the idea that cats are inherently magical creatures (hence why they are often chosen as Witch Familiars) and spinning off from that idea.
> 
> This story is dedicated to my AMAZING internet husband, Lil_Fangirl27. You were one of my first fans on this site and through the last year of knowing you, you have encouraged me, validated me, reassured me, comforted me, and put up with all my drama and moaning about my stories, and I probably wouldn't be as confident in my writing as I am today if it weren't for you. So, even though is scares the everliving shit out of me to share my original work on this site... I figured it was well overdue.

**The House Cats:**

Twitch: a 9-month-old brown marble tabby kitten. He has amber eyes. [[x](https://www.cat-breeds-encyclopedia.com/image-files/tabby1.jpg)] 

Lola: a 2 yr old Siamese mix with cream fur and brownish gray points. She has blue eyes.[[x](http://earthporm.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/old-adopted-cat-27__605.jpg)]

Lucky: a 3 yr old black and white tomcat with yellow eyes. Lucy's twin brother. [[x](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Close-up-of-a-tuxedo-black-and-white-cat.jpg)]

Lucy: a 3 yr old black and white she-cat with yellow eyes. Lucky's twin sister. [[x](https://cmeimg-a.akamaihd.net/640/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/235/89/504856753.jpg)]

 

 

 

**The Stray Cats:**

Bea (pronounced Bee-ah): a 3 yr old tortoiseshell she-cat with a white chest, belly, and paws. Has one ice blue eye and one yellow-green eye. [[x](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/heterochromia-in-cats-or-a-tortie-with-two-different-colored-eyes.jpg)]

Callie: a 5 yr old calico and white Scottish fold she-cat with olive green eyes. [[x](https://previews.123rf.com/images/artaporn/artaporn1706/artaporn170600016/80126293-calico-scottish-fold-cat-or-tortoiseshell-and-white-cat-looking-at-camera.jpg)]

Bo: a 3 yr old black Manx tomcat with amber eyes. [[x](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2-black-manx-cats.jpg)]

Sawyer: a 3 yr old black Manx tomcat with amber eyes and a hint of white on his chest. [[x](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2-black-manx-cats.jpg)]

Ginger: a 5 yr old ginger and white she-cat with pale yellow-green eyes. Mother of Bea. [[x](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a2/df/cf/a2dfcfcab8201bd1d2c96726d5096ef4.jpg)]

Fennel: a sandy-brown tabby tomcat with yellow eyes. The unofficial leader of the strays. [[x](https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/close-up-of-sandy-colored-cat-picture-id496375000)]

 

 

**The Clowder:**

Eldest Leader \- Julius; a 10 yr old Russian Blue with green eyes. [[x](https://www.thehappycatsite.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/russian-blue.jpg)]

Middle Leader \- Cassiopeia; an 8 yr old white she-cat with amber eyes. [[x](https://d17fnq9dkz9hgj.cloudfront.net/uploads/2018/04/Persian_White.jpg)]

Youngest Leader \- Colby; a 4 yr old sleek black tomcat with one yellow-green eye and one ice blue eye. [[x](https://res.cloudinary.com/dfznckcbh/image/upload/x_201,y_106,w_416,h_313,c_crop,q_60/v1435702013/reasons/bqgt0lvlrv3w5glry0oz.jpg)]

Members -

Jinx - a 6 yr old seal point Himalayan tomcat with blue eyes. [[x](https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/media/2406/fun-facts-about-himalayan-cats.jpg)]

Krystal - a 3 yr old seal point, snowshoe Himalayan mix She-Cat with blue eyes. Daughter of Jinx. [[x](https://d17fnq9dkz9hgj.cloudfront.net/uploads/2018/03/Birman_01.jpg)]

Lily - a 4 yr old brown she-cat with a white muzzle, chest, belly, and paws. [[x](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/cats-best-pets-16-1529003034.jpg)]

Boston - a 5 yr old brown tabby tomcat with no eyes. [[x](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ltonPQWBJGU/Rd7ok_UCQQI/AAAAAAAAAFM/FLtrybORhRk/s400/Angel.jpg)]

Fig - a 7 yr old brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes. She is the current Birth-Giver. [[x](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/warriors-ocs/images/6/67/Jaykit.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180415170153)]

* * *

 

 

**What Is The Clowder?**

**clow·der**

/ˈkloudər/

 _noun_  

RARE

  1. a group of cats.



The Clowder is a group of cats living in the forest beside the town where most of the cats live. Some of them are strays, while others have owners, but their main priority is to the Clowder. The Clowder is a group of cats who worship the Goddess Panthera above all else. They are a close-knit group of cats who meet regularly, but once a moon cycle, on the night of the full moon, they will gather with cats outside of the Clowder so that they can celebrate the life of Panthera. The night of the Full Moon is the only time these cats are receptive to outsiders and actual membership can be extremely exclusive at times. 

 

**Who is Panthera?**

_Panthera is said to be the mother of all feline kind. Her origin story dates back many centuries, to ancient Egypt. It is said that in a time when the Egyptians were overrun by rats and mice and their crops were being destroyed by the vermin, their people getting sick from the diseases they carried, the Pharoah went to pray to the Gods for an answer to his problems. The other Gods and Goddesses tried to help, but nothing they sent seemed capable of containing the sheer numbers of the rats and mice. They simply multiplied too fast. That is when Panthera stepped in and created the first cats to set paw upon the earth. The humans, of course, laughed when they saw the small creatures that Panthera was offering up. But Panthera told them to give the creatures a chance and assured them that in due time, they would find a valuable savior in the cats. And a savior they found, because the cats were gifted with agile bodies, swift paws, eyes that could see in the dark, teeth, and claws to destroy their prey with, and an uncanny ability to stalk and hunt on silent pads. While they were few compared to many, the cat's ability to take out hundreds of mice and rats in a day was unrivaled, and soon the number of vermin dwindled, the crops regrew, and the sick recovered. The Egyptians rejoiced and the Pharoah thanked Panthera profusely, and for years after, the Egyptians revered cats as if they, too, were Gods and Goddesses._

 

All cats are taught about the birth mother Panthera from the time they are born but the members of the Clowder think especially highly of her. They believe those favored by Panthera are granted special powers and abilities and it is their sole goal in life to gain the favor of the Goddess. The greatest power they believe she can grant is called 'The Sight'.

 

**Who is Felidae?**

Felidae is the equivalent of Satan and runs the Nether Realm, of 'Kitty Hell'. He is the former mate of Panthera and the father of Tigris, Pardus, and Leo.

 

**The Story of Panthera and Felidae**

_After Panthera sent the cats to Earth to save Ancient Egypt, she took it upon herself to watch out for her offspring. She guided their pawsteps, did her best to teach them right from wrong, and when they passed, she took them back and gave them a home where they could live out the rest of their days as spirits, warm and safe in her loving embrace. Panthera loved and cherished all of her offspring, but none did she love so much as she loved Felidae. Felidae was a beautiful tomcat, strong and proud, with long sand-colored fur covered in a mixture of spots and stripes and unusual eyes, one blue and one green. She had never seen eyes like his. So great was her love for Felidae, that Panthera decided she must bestow upon him a gift, a token of her favor, and thus The Sight was born. With the Sight, Felidae was able to learn from the past mistakes of others, assist those in need of help in the present, and change the course of fate by looking into the future. This kept him safe and favored by his peers until he quickly became revered for his special gift. Panthera was greatly pleased to see her favorite cat thriving, but it wasn't enough for her. She wanted to get to know Felidae... truly know him. And so she began to visit him in his dreams. Felidae was naturally shocked to get a visit from the Goddess, but he adapted quickly and their visits soon became a nightly occurrence. Panthera's love for Felidae grew and grew until even these visitations weren't enough and finally, Panthera decided to take the life of a physical cat and set forth into the world to gain the love of Felidae. Upon learning of her devotion, the two became mates and from their union, three kits were born: a striped female named Tigris, a fluffy golden tomcat named Leo, and a spotted tomcat named Pardus. Panthera and Felidae rejoiced at the birth of the three cats, as did their friends. Time went on and the three kits grew into fine young cats. It wasn't long until it was discovered that the three kits were gifted, just as their father was. Tigris would become the first Prophet, a cat gifted with the ability to walk in the Ancestral Hunting Grounds, even while living, and to deliver Prophecies and Messages to those among the living. Pardus was to become the first Birth-Giver, gifted with the ability to tell when a cat is about to give birth, even when he is far away from the she-cat. And Leo became the first Guardian, a cat gifted with great strength, speed, and stamina, meant to protect and serve the greater good. Felidae saw these amazing gifts his children had, and he grew increasingly jealous. He wanted those powers for himself, and so he sought out how to take them for himself. Eventually, he discovered that if he were to kill his kits, their power would transfer over to him. Upon learning this, Felidae went immediately and killed Pardus by shoving the younger tomcat off a cliff. Immediately, Felidae was imbued with the power to sense when a females birthing time is near. Panthera was devastated when she discovered her youngest son's body broken at the bottom of a cliff, but she believed Felidae when he told her that he must have slipped off and fallen. Craving more power, Felidae then went and killed Tigris, pushing her into the river and holding her down until she was no longer breathing, and immediately gained her prophet-telling abilities. Once again, Panthera was devastated at her daughter's death but believed Felidae's lies when he told her she must have slipped in while fishing. Finally, Felidae went to Leo and killed his final kit. Leo was not so easily subdued and the battle was a bloody one. Unable to hide such evidence, Felidae told his mate that Leo had attacked him in hopes of gaining_ his _power. Panthera was suspicious but ultimately took him at his word. Or so he thought. With the powers of the Seer, the Prophet, the Birth-Giver, and the Guardian now coursing through his veins, Felidae was one of the most powerful cats on the planet. Then, he got cocky. Felidae believed that if he killed Panthera, he would become a God himself. So he went and tried to kill his mate, but what he wasn't expecting was that Panthera was waiting for him. For you see, Panthera was still a Goddess, despite her mortal body, and was still linked to the Ancestral Hunting Grounds. She knew of his crimes because the spirits of her murdered children had told her of their father's crimes. In her outrage, Panthera shed her mortal body and unleashed the full power of a Goddess down upon Felidae. She stripped him of his powers and banished him to the Nether Realm, forced to live out his life there. Panthera then returned to the Ancestral Hunting Grounds to walk alongside her children once more. Of course, during their time among the living, Tigris, Leo, and Pardus had kits of their own, and that is why occasionally Prophets, Birth-Givers, and Guardians still pop up from time to time. But is only when Panthera's favor shines down upon a special pair of kits that the Sight is bestowed upon the earth once again._

 

**What Is The Sight?**

The Sight is a power in cats believed to be gifted by Panthera to her most favored children. The Sight is believed to be directly linked to Heterochromia in Cats, and that is two cats have identical eyes, those cats are two halves of the same soul and together, can reach their full potential with the Sight. The main ability of the Sight is the ability to see things others cannot. It is different for every cat, but normally a cat can see bits of the past, present (things happening currently but not where they might know of it), or the future. By coming together with their other half, it is believed the powers will grow until they can clearly see the past, present, and future, as well as give them access to other abilities that they have yet to unlock.

 

**Terminology;**

Moon Cycle \- A month

Quarter Moon \- A week

Half Moon \- Two weeks

Panthera's Blessing \- a special blessing made to Panthera under the light of the full moon. It is believed this blessing will grant safety to all cats present and participating in the blessing until the night of the next full moon.

Birth-Giver \- a cat gifted by Panthera to tell when a cat is about to give birth. He or she is almost always present at births, either helping out or just standing by and watching to ensure all goes well.

The Prophet -the Prophet is a cat whocan traverse between the mortal and spiritual realms and deliver messages and prophecies of what is to come. Normally a mortal cat who can enter the spiritual realms, the current Prophet is a deceased cat who retained the ability to travel back and forth between realms. Her name is Nym. Nym can take the form of a black cat with glowing white eyes when in the mortal realm, but more often than not prefers possession when she is delivering a Prophecy. When she does possess another cat, often times a black shadow will emanate from them and their eyes will roll into the backs of their heads. Typically, the only time Nym will EVER take a physical form is if she is in a hurry (possession takes time, people) or when delivering news from Panthera herself.

Kitting \- the process of a female cat giving birth

Ancestrial Hunting Grounds \- Believed to be the place where all cats go to walk with Panthera when they die. Equivalent to Heaven.

Nether Realm \- Ruled by Felidae, it is where evil cats go to rot in what is essentially purgatory. Rquivalent to Hell.

 


	2. Prologue; Nym's Prophecy

The light of the full moon fell down upon the rows of houses and neat, manicured lawns, bathing everything in a silver glow. All was still and silent, save for the chirp of crickets and the distant rumble of vehicles on the roadway. And then, movement. A flash of brown and a small tabby is up on the fence edging one of the shadow-filled yards. She pauses, her small frame frozen with one paw raised as her glowing amber eyes search for any signs of life around her. In the distance, where the town falls away and the forest takes over, an owl hoots ominously. Closer, but no less nerve-wracking, a dog barks harshly, sending her fur standing on end. The she-cat flattens her ears, amber gaze narrowing, and then she starts to move. Her muscles roll and ripple beneath a short brown tabby pelt as she races along the fence, muscles bunching just before she reaches the end of the fence and she leaps. For a moment in time, she is suspended in the air, frozen in time. Weightless. Then her paws land deftly, silently on the next fence and she is moving once again.

The feline is well aware of the eyes tracking her movement as she weaves through the suburb. They watch her from the windows of their human nests, from beneath bushes and behind trash cans, from every hidden nook and cranny they can fit themselves in. She pays them no mind. For tonight, no one will question her presence. No one will fault her for trespassing on their territory. For tonight, she gets a free pass. They might not have the same abilities she possesses, but they have eyes and ears. They can tell when a she-cat’s time is near, and they must have known that Ginger was ready to give birth. Finally reaching the broken fence surrounding the abandoned lot that had become near overrun with stray cats, the tabby slows her pace until she comes to a complete stop. Below, a scraggly yard filled with dead grass and piles of garbage stretches up to a rotting, dilapidated building. Dozens of cats mill about the yard, some locked together in mock battle, while others shared tongues and prey. They all pause whatever they’re doing to look up at her, but none dare stop her as she leaps from the fence and lands soundlessly on the hard ground below.

“Welcome, Fig,” a sandy-brown tabby cat steps forward, yellow eyes polite but reserved as he approaches. The small tabby meets him halfway, her own amber gaze cautious and her pelt prickling with unease under the stares of so many cats. It doesn’t matter that half of these cats were delivered with Fig watching over, or that many survived only because of her intervention. In this place, she is an outsider who doesn’t belong in their world and the only reason she is permitted within their sanctuary now is to help their sister in her time of need. The job of a Birth-Giver is thankless, but such is the burden Panthera laid down upon her, and Fig learned long ago not to question the actions of their Goddess.

“Greetings, Fennel. It is good to be here,” she returned politely, stretching her neck out to brush her nose against his. The customary greeting was returned before the tomcat swiveled his ears towards the building behind his muscular frame.

“Ginger is in there. Would you like me to escort you to her nest?” He asked. Fig was tempted to take him up on the offer but in the end, she shook her head firmly. She had been the solve Birth-Giver since her mentor passed four Moon Cycles ago. She could make it to Ginger’s nest without Fennel there to hold her paw.

“I will be fine, thank you,” she said, flicking her gaze towards the watching cats before returning her eyes to his. Perhaps picking up on her nerves, Fennel’s gaze softened.

“You have safe passage tonight, Fig. No cat here shall lay a paw upon you,” he reassured. With a flick of his tail, he was gone and Fig was left to her own devices. Most of the cats lost interest and turned back to whatever it was they were doing, and for that, Fig was grateful. She had never been a fan of large groups of cats. Turning her paws towards the abandoned human nest, she padded across dry grass that tickled at her pads and slipped through one of the many holes that littered the side of the decaying building. Inside, only a few shafts of moonlight broke up the overwhelming darkness that shrouded the building, but this didn’t bother the she-cat. She was far more comfortable in the shadows, used to living beneath the forest canopy and away from the bright open spaces the human world had to offer.

More cats were inside the building, but most of the cats here were sleeping or talking in hushed whispers. A few cats pause their conversations to watch her, but she is largely ignored. Despite having been here only a pawful of times, Fig needs no cat to direct her to the left side of the nests’ front room and up a rotting staircase that creaks even beneath her diminutive weight. On the second floor, the hall stretches out in either direction and she takes a right, entering the third room on the left and heading towards the closet door that is barely clinging to its hinges. The small gap between the lopsided door and frame leave just enough room for the small feline to squeeze through. It is even darker here in the closet, and she pauses to allow her gaze to adjust to the difference for just a moment before turning towards the task at paw.

The cat she has come to see is curled up in a makeshift nest of ratty old blankets that smell vaguely of mold, no doubt that had been gathered in preparation for the birth of her kits. The she-cat is easily visible, the white patches in her ginger and white tabby coat like a beacon in the inky blackness of the closet. She doesn’t notice Fig enter right away. Her breathing is labored, her fur damp with sweat. Another cat, one she supposes is the cat’s mate, sits beside her. Unlike the she-cat, his jet black coat almost makes him blend in with the darkness. Only his icy blue gaze, pupils dilated with a mixture of love and worry, give him away. One of his inky paws rests against the she-cat’s flank and he is speaking gentle encouragements in a soothing tone. Fig watches for a moment, a small smile tilting the corners of her mouth upward. The smile fades as a low moan escapes the she-cat, prompting her to pad forward and make her presence known.

“Ginger,” she greeted softly, coming to a halt at the edge of the nest. Yellow-green eyes rolled wildly, darting about the small space before finally focusing the tabby she-cat. “How are you feeling?”

Ginger shuddered, front claws stretching out before digging to the blankets beneath her, and it took a moment before she could speak properly. Even then, she seemed limited to one-word answers. “...hurts.”

“Yes, I imagine it does,” Fig responded gently. Of course, Fig had never personally experienced the pain of a kitting. She was the Birth-Giver; she helped with births, but she wasn’t permitted to have kits of her own. It was a distraction, supposedly, but she had never really dwelled on it. A mate and kits had never been a priority for the tabby she-cat. She had been dubbed the next Birth-Giver moments after her own birth, and when the time came, Panthera would guide her pawsteps to the kit who would be trained as the Birth-Giver for when she passed. Shouldering past the black tomcat, Fig laid her own paw on the she-cat’s belly, feeling the magic swell up within her. It gave off the most euphoric feeling, but she pushed past that and focused instead on the new lives within her.

“Are they okay?” The black tomcat breathed beside her, and Fig’s amber gaze flickered briefly towards him before refocusing on the task at paw. She could sense the kits inside the she-cat; three of them. One of the kits, she could tell, was female. She wasn’t sure about the other two because the female’s energy shone brighter, much brighter, than her littermates. She could tell the other two were alive though, and that was the most important thing. Returning her gaze to the tomcat, she dipped her head briefly and watched the relief shine in his eyes. She almost smiled at that. She suspected the tomcat would make a good father.

“I need you to go find me a stick,” she said, sliding her paw further over the bulge of the kitting feline’s stomach. One of the kits shifted, perhaps sensing her touch, and a tiny limb jutted out to kick against the she-cat’s paw.

“A stick?” The tomcat looked at her blankly in confusion and she suppressed a growl of annoyance. She wouldn’t have forgotten her kitting stick if that  _ fuzz-brain _ Cassiopeia hadn’t been pestering her. Why the she-cat had been so deadset against Fig leaving to perform her duties, the tabby feline would never understand. If she was a Seer, if she had the Sight, then perhaps Fig would heed her warning. But the only cat currently known to have the sight was that bumbling mouse-brain, Colby. Young and still a kit at heart, he had a lot to learn before he mastered his abilities… but she would have paused if  _ he _ had asked her not to leave. He might be young and inexperienced but he did have the Sight; that was unmistakable. If he had foreseen something she likely would have still come, such was the duty of a Birth-Giver, but she would have been cautious. Colby, however, had just flicked his tail at her and told her to do whatever she pleased when she had respectfully asked what he thought of her coming here tonight. Mouse-brains, every single one of them. Cassiopeia had been so obnoxious as Fig had been trying to leave, that the tabby had been forced to rush out of camp to avoid missing the kitting altogether and had forgotten her trusty Kitting stick in the process.

“Yes, a stick. Not too long or thick, but sturdy. Something that won’t break easily,” Fig responded with a twitch of her tail. The tomcat hesitated, icy gaze flicking to Ginger in question.

“J-just  _ do it _ , Salem,” Ginger’s moan turned into a low growl and Salem didn’t need to be told a third time. Turning tail, he squeezed through the entrance to the closet, his thumping pawsteps quickly fading. For perhaps the first time since arriving, the Birth-Giver truly relaxed. She had never been fond of audiences but found that having loved ones nearby tended to calm Kitting she-cats far more than Fig ever could.

“You’re doing just fine, Ginger,” Fig purred, as another kick pressed insistently against her paw. “Your kits are ready to meet you.”

“No more than I am ready to meet them,” the she-cat responded with a rusty purr, before seizing up as another contraction rippled through her. Fig soothed the she-cat as best she could, talking her through the worst of the pain, and was more than a little relieved when Salem returned with a stick clamped in his jaws. It was the perfect length, width, and sturdiness for the she-cat to bite through the worst of the pain. Not a moment too soon, either, because the moment that her teeth clamped around the stick, another contraction wracked her body. Placing her paw once more against the distended belly, the tabby cat closed her eyes and allowed the magic to reach a crescendo. She could almost see them, moving restlessly in the womb. They were more than ready, and when the next contraction began, Fig knew it was time.

“I need you to push… now,” she commanded gently. Within moments, the first kit plopped onto the musty bedding and Fig leaned forward to nip away the amniotic sac with practiced ease. Ignoring the odd scent and taste, she lifted the still cat away from the nest and laid him before his father. “Lick,” she commanded, turning back towards the kitting she-cat. Within moments, another kit plopped out. This wasn’t Ginger’s first litter, which meant the birthing should go off without a hitch. She repeated the process of nipping away the sac with the second kit before placing him in front of his mother. Unlike the father, she needed no urging to begin licking the fur the wrong way, trying to warm the kit up and get him breathing.

Fig didn’t have to wait long. The third and final bundle plopped out onto the old blankets and she immediately took over. The sac fell away with a sharp nip of her teeth, and then her tongue was rasping roughly against soft fur. It took only moments before the kitten stirred, drawing its first breath only to let it out in a loud, angry wail. The kit squirmed amongst the blankets, no doubt seeking the life-giving milk her mother had to offer. Leaning down, Fig picked up the tiny she-cat by the scruff and placed her at her mother’s stomach, watching in amusement as she immediately latched onto a teat and began to suckle strongly. Lifting her head, she turned to see how the other kits were doing and instantly her heart sank. She could see the regret on their faces, the sadness in their eyes. The other two didn’t make it. This had happened before, of course. Too many times to count. It was inevitable, really.

“There was nothing you could have done,” she said pragmatically. “You have a daughter who needs you. Panthera will watch over these little ones,” she promised.

“She already is,” a new voice stated, startling the three cats. Ginger, in particular, jolted in her surprise, temporarily unlatching her daughter from her stomach. The kit yowled in protest before relatching, drawing the new cat’s eyes to her. The other three kept their gazes on the intruder. “Panthera has welcomed your sons to the Ancestral Hunting Grounds. They will live on in her warm embrace for eternity, safe from any harm.”

“Are you here to take my daughter, too?” Ginger asked, trying to sound fierce when in reality, she simply sounded petrified. Her bushy orange tail, damp with sweat and birthing fluids, swept protectively over the tiny she-cat who barely even noticed the attention that shifted to her. She was much more interested in drinking her fill of her mother’s sweet milk. The newcomer purred in amusement as her glowing, pure white gaze found the worried and fiercely protective gaze of the young mother.

“No, your daughter will grow into a strong and healthy she-cat,” the newcomer assured, but her words did little to alleviate the suspicion the others cast upon her.

“Then why are you here, Nym? What could a Prophet, a Daughter of Panthera want with us?” Salem asked, breaking his silence as he glared at the she-cat. Nym’s white gaze shifted to the father and her tail twitched, expression souring at the coldness in his tone.

“You’d do well to respect me, Salem. I come with a message. Heed my warning, and your daughter will grow and prosper. Ignore it, and she will suffer death at the paws of the one she holds dearest to her heart,” Nym spoke ominously, her white eyes growing brighter as her words seemed to fill the small space.

“And what is your warning?” Ginger asked softly, shooting a glance at her mate before looking back to the Prophet. Nym met her gaze solemnly.

“Panthera has cast favor down upon this kit. She will grow in beauty and power, until her third birthday. Then, temptation will try to draw her to find her other half. If you wish her to continue living a long and fruitful life, do whatever it takes to keep her away from the Clowder. They will bring about her ultimate demise. Heed my warning and heed it well. The day she meets the one with eyes like hers will bring about the day that her time on Earth begins to dwindle.” Nym growled, her body beginning to fade and turn transparent.

“Wait! What do you mean the one with eyes like her? Who is this cat she must stay away from?” Salem called, stepping forward, but the she-cat simply blinked at him, right before she winked out of existence. For a moment, the cats in the small, dark closet were silent. None of them knew quite what to do or say. After a moment, their eyes turned towards the tiny kit who, finished with her meal, had settled down to sleep at her mother’s belly. As the kit slept on, peacefully unaware of the fate life had planned for her, the young parents shared a long, meaningful look. They knew, without having a single word passed between them, that they would do whatever it took to protect their daughter. No matter what it took...

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think


End file.
